Tag: Bible

There is nothing more powerful in supporting a position than the eyewitness. Throughout history, eyewitness testimony has carried great weight in courts of law all around the world. Jurors and spectators hang on every word the eyewitness speaks as he describes what he saw and heard at the crime scene, or as she describes the violence of the collision she witnessed on the highway. Through the lens of the eyewitness, the facts emerge.

“I have seen and I testify that this is God’s chosen One.”

John 1:34

The Bible offers eyewitness testimony regarding Jesus. After Jesus’ Ascension, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2), and with that they were equipped to carry out Jesus’ instructions to go into the world and share the Gospel. All of their questions, their doubts and their fears were eradicated. They were fully equipped to do God’s work.

People ask me from time to time, if they were to begin reading the Bible for the very first time, what should they read first? I refer them to John’s Gospel, the writings of one of many eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, His ministry, His miracles, His death, His resurrection, His post-resurrection appearances & interactions, and finally His Ascension. John saw it all, and writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, beautifully offers his eyewitness testimony of just who Jesus is, starting with Jesus as Creator in the beginning (John 1:1) all the way through to His promise of eternal life to all who would believe in Him.

Has it been awhile since you opened your Bible? I know, we’re all busy. But therein resides all we need to know about who God is, what He is about, and how we are to live in response. Therein resides the bad news of our eternal situation without Jesus and the good news of God’s promise of eternal life through faith in Jesus. Isn’t this worth an investment of time?

I often refer to Scripture as “the treasure of God’s Word.” From Genesis through Revelation, God reveals Himself to us through different authors, writing styles and over a large span of time. It’s truly amazing. But the most important thing to remember about Scripture is it’s all about Jesus – every bit of it.

“Then, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”

Luke 24:27

I would love to have been walking along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus with these two followers of Jesus. I can only imagine what they were feeling and saying as they recounted the events of the past few days – Jesus’ trial, conviction, crucifixion, disappeared body and reports of a resurrection. I’m sure their minds were racing with confusion as they tried to sort this out. As they walk a stranger appears and asks them what they are talking about. Unbeknownst to them, the stranger is Jesus Himself. Perplexed, they ask Him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” (24:18). Jesus asks, “what things?” to which they reply by describing Jesus – His powerful teachings, His death and reports of His resurrection. Jesus responds by chastising their lack of faith and proceeds to “…explain to the them things concerning Himself in the Scriptures.”

I am dismayed that many Christian churches rarely, if ever, include Old Testament Scripture in worship and teaching. I’ve heard many Christians say that the Old Testament is no longer relevant in these New Testament days. Oh, how wrong they are!

Let me ask you a question:

Would you buy tickets to a great play and skip Act 1, going straight to Act 2?

Of course you wouldn’t. That would make no sense at all! Without seeing Act 1, you will not understand what is happening in Act 2.

“Why is she doing that?”

“Why did he say that?”

“How did they get there?”

Have you ever sat next to this person at a play or a movie? I have, and, man, can they be annoying!?

The Old Testament is God’s Act 1. In it, He reveals His creative nature and His sovereignty over His creation. He gives us the Law and exposes us to our sinful nature. He tells us of the separation from Him that comes through sin. He reveals His plan to remedy that by sending the perfect Sacrifice, His Son, to take the punishment we deserve. The Old Testament shares the bad news we need to hear while assuring us that the Remedy is coming!

To fully understand God’s Act 2, the New Testament, it needs to be set up by Act 1. Read, studied and preached with the context of the Old Testament, the Gospel rings out loud and clear. To ignore the Old Testament is short-sighted at best, foolhardy at worst. I am convinced that the tendency towards ignoring the Old Testament in many churches today is a major reason we see an increase in lukewarm, watered-down Christianity.

All of Scripture – the entire book – is God’s redemptive story and worthy of our time and attention. This really began to resonate with me the first year I worked through a reading plan through the complete Bible. And, as I make my way through my third, God continues to expand my understanding. If you have never embarked on such a plan, I strongly encourage you to do so. You don’t have to wait until January 1 to start; today is as good a day as any. The YouVersion Bible App is free, and offers a plethora of reading plans from which to choose, including topical, seasonal, and full Bible plans. Give it a try – I double-dog dare you.

Final note: One of my favorite preachers, Alistair Begg, offered the analogy of a great play to explain why the entire Bible is worthy of study. To not credit him would be disingenuous on my part. If you’re into podcasts and good, solid Bible teaching, I encourage you to give Truth for Life a listen.